New jersey state report shows giovine campaign in serious debt

New Jersey State Report Shows Giovine Campaign in Serious Debt

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Toms River Democrat Ben Giovine says he can fix the problems in Toms River, but according to filings with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the candidate is in serious debt.

Giovine, who preached fiscal responsibility, reported over $27,000 of unpaid campaign debt this week to the state as his floundering campaign heads into election day.

According to records, Giovine has overspent and was unable to raise money from his own party to mount a campaign against his opponent, Dan Rodrick.

Sources inside the Democrat party say Giovine was blacklisted for party fundraising. Sources told Shore News Network that Democrat donors felt Giovine’s campaign was a long shot and instead invested in a hotly contested race in Brick. Other usual Democrat donors stayed away from Giovine’s campaign after it was reported that a convicted child sex offender attended events with his running mate, Rhetta Jackson Fair.

New jersey state report shows giovine campaign in serious debt
Photo: new jersey state report shows giovine campaign in serious debt

Seeing the race as a lost cause, Democrats across the state stayed out of one of the biggest mayoral elections of the 2023 election cycle. Congressman Andy Kim, his boss made a sizable donation, but that’s where it ended.

Now, deeply in debt, Giovine will have to find a way to raise money to pay the vendors and expenses he incurred during his campaign.

His campaign’s net worth as of the October 31st filing deadline was -$27,143.03.

“Ben’s campaign is an example of how he would run Toms River,” Rodrick said today. “Into the ground. But we can’t take it for granted. We need to make sure everyone gets out there and votes today so we can put Toms River back on the right track and start making the right decisions for the future of our town.”

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.